Begonia plant named ‘Bbpaola’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Bbpaola’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; freely flowering habit; double flowers with orange to red-colored tepals; and excellent flower longevity.

Botanical designation: Begonia×hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Bbpaola’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially known as Elatior Begonia, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bbpaola’.

The new Begonia was discovered and selected by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany in 1999, as a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary seedling selection of Begonia×hiemalis identified as code number C8, not patented. The new Begonia was observed as a single plant in a group of flowering plants of the parent selection.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia by cuttings in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany since 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Bbpaola’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bbpaola’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bbpaola’ as a new and distinct Begonia:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely flowering habit.     -   3. Double flowers with orange to red-colored tepals.     -   4. Excellent flower longevity.

Compared to plants of the parent selection, plants of the new Begonia have flowers with more tepals. In addition, plants of the new Begonia and the parent selection differ in tepal coloration as plants of the parent selection have darker red-colored tepals.

Plants of the new Begonia can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Monella, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,153. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Glandorf, Germany, plants of the new Begonia differed from plants of the cultivar Monella in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia had fewer tepals per flower than         plants of the cultivar Monella.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia and the cultivar Monella differed         in tepal coloration as plants of the cultivar Monella had red         and yellow bi-colored tepals.     -   3. Plants of the new Begonia and the cultivar Monella differed         in pedicel and flower bract coloration as plants of the cultivar         Monella had yellow-colored pedicels and flower bracts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Begonia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bbpaola’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands during the spring and summer under conditions typical of commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 15 to 20° C. and light levels were about 18,000 lux. Plants used for the photograph and the description were grown in 13-cm containers and were about three months old when the photograph and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis cultivar Bbpaola. -   Commercial classification: Elatior Begonia. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary     seedling selection of Begonia×hiemalis identified as code number C8,     not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at temperatures of             20° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About four weeks at temperatures of             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous and freely branched. Plants             of the new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and habit.—Compact, upright and mounded plant             habit; freely branching with about five to six basal             branches per plant. Moderately vigorous. Vegetative shoots             are formed at basal nodes and flowering shoots are formed at             upper nodes.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 20 to 25 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 9 to 13 cm. Diameter: About             1 to 3 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 8 to             9 cm. Width: About 5 to 6 cm. Shape: Roughly ovate;             asymmetrical. Apex: Acute. Base: Oblique. Margin: Doubly             crenate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: 136A. Developing leaves,             lower surface: 139A. Fully expanded leaves, upper and lower             surfaces: 136B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 136B.             Petiole length: About 4 to 6 cm. Petiole diameter: About             4 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces: 136B.             Stipule quantity: One to two per leaf. Stipule size: About 1             cm by 1 cm. Stipule texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Stipule color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 136A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Double flowers with about eight to ten             tepals per flower; flowers arranged in axillary cymes; about             five to six open flowers per cyme; numerous cymes in flower             simultaneusly; about 25 to 30 open flowers per plant.             Flowers positioned above and beyond the foliage and face             upright to outwardly. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Under natural daylight conditions,             plants flower from spring until the fall. Flower initiation             and development is induced by long day/short night             conditions. Flowering continuous under photoinductive             conditions.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about four to five             weeks on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Cyme height.—About 5 to 6 cm.         -   Cyme diameter.—About 6 to 7 cm.         -   Flowers.—Shape: Oval; double. Diameter: About 4 to 5 cm.             Depth (height): About 1 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About             2 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 24D.         -   Tepals.—Arrangement: Rosette. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded             to obtuse. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Length: About 2 to             3 cm. Width: About 3 to 4 cm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: When opening,             upper surface: 23B to 25C. When opening, lower surface: 24D.             Fully opened, upper surface: 43B. Fully opened, lower             surface: 30C to 40D.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity: Two per flower. Arrangement:             Opposite. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape:             Broadly cordate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 25C.         -   Peduncles.—Angle: About 30 to 45° from vertical. Length:             About 4 to 5 cm. Diameter: About 3 to 4 mm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Angle: About 30 to 45° from vertical. Length:             About 2 to 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 to 3 mm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 25C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils: None             observed. -   Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit production has not been observed as     reproductive organs are not formed. -   Desease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Begonia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Begonia. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant named ‘Bbpaola’, as illustrated and described. 